FOUR YEARS IN A ROW, NOW: We’ve watched Portland’s fireworks from the roof of our building. Summer time stuff, you know? Pretty cool to be up above the city watching these festivities down the river. A “perk” for holding down a lease at Olympic Mills.

Last night Leigh, Jacob, Leah, little Oliver and I braved the crowds on the roof to watch those fireworks. Good stuff.

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THANK YOU, BOB DALE: This one comes from our buddy Bob Dale down in Oklahoma, of all places: In July of 1942, American magazines featured the flag on their covers. Here’s the archive of that magical summer.

I love American flags. I love America. Not in the “Lee Greenwood” way where we’re gonna stubbornly hide behind some aging set of ideals and bomb whatever the fuck doesn’t agree with our views. No, in the way that this land can change with the times, and get smarter, and stronger, with creativity, human rights and progression on the docket, and not brute force. That’s the America I believe in.

So Happy 4th of July, and go fuck yerself, Toby Keith.